On Monday, following the release of Cargo Policy and Procedures Advisory No. 278, South African Airways (SAA) effectively lifted their embargo on transporting legally-harvested African wildlife. As we previously reported, other airlines had followed SAA’s lead, placing similar bans on legally-hunted African game that vastly exceed requirements of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

These embargoes were put in place as a response to pressure from anti-hunting extremists, under the false pretense that they would curb poaching and the illegal trade of restricted wildlife. Ironically, embargoes like these actually increase poaching, as the revenue generated from legal hunting funds the vast majority of anti-poaching efforts. Therefore these embargoes only serve to undermine the sustainable use of wildlife resources through regulated hunting, conservation efforts funded by sportsmen and the legal trade of wildlife under the CITES convention.

NRA-ILA applauds SAA for lifting its embargo and hopes that other airlines with embargoes in place will follow suit. We will keep you updated on the latest developments regarding misguided transportation restrictions on legally-harvested African trophies.

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.